DOW Rule Adjustments
This page documents any additional skills or skill adjustments for the Dawn of War setting. New Skills Fencing Fencers are far more than lumbering, iron-clad oafs brutalizing each other with heavy and awkward weaponry. Fencing is both an art form and means for aristocracy to end otherwise irreconcilable differences. Thus, the fencing skill has been separated from the fighting skill for very few nobles would be caught dead with the common man's murder weapons. Instead, they focus on honing their skills with the gentleman's weapon, the rapier, until their motions are fluid and death strikes are quick and painless. Since fencing is so very different from open skirmishing, the rules for fencing are also quite different. First, fencers never wear armor. Clunky pieces of metal are just too restrictive for the complex strikes and fine footwork that fencing demands. While less than savory individuals may be tempted to cheat this basic principle of fencing, it should be known that fencing is intended as a duel between honorable men. When a life is ended at the conclusion of an honorable duel, there are no consequences to the victory and any dispute is considered resolved. On the other hand, a duel won through dishonor provides the victory with all the consequences one would ordinary incur were he to murder someone in cold blood. Therefore, the honorable duel is not something to be taken lightly. In game terms, each opponent rolls a series of three attacks using the Fencing skill die. There are no modifiers to these rolls and they do not ace. These rolls should not be visible to the opponent. Next a single wild die is rolled in such fashion that no one, not even the roller, can see the result. The use of a dice cup or other similar object works well here. This roll is known as the gambit. If the roller chooses to use a gambit, it immediately replaces any single Fencing die rolled the individual, regardless if the number is better or worse. There are some consequences of using a gambit that will be detailed shortly. Once both opponents have rolled their Fencing dice and have decided whether or not to use a gambit, the rolls are placed in which ever order the roller see fit. Keep in mind, neither opponent should know the other's die rolls nor the order in which they are placed yet. When both parties are satisfied with their ordering, the dice are revealed to one another. The dice are then compared individually in the order by which their were assigned. For every raise achieved, a wound is inflicted. Unless circumstances deem otherwise, both fencers begin with three wounds. There is no shaken status and once a fencer receives three wounds, he is incapacitated. All rules for incapacitation apply, although is often a moot point since most duels are to the death. Gambits work similarly to straight Fencing rolls, except that the gambit die does not need to raise to inflict a wound. Simply beating the opposed roll is sufficient. Furthermore, each raise inflicts another wound. Since a gambit is intended to represent a wily or outrageous maneuver, the consequence of failure is that the opponent does not need a raise to inflict a wound and may inflict multiple wounds with multiple raises. Skill Adjustments Gambling For added flair, these new rules will be used when appropriate. Valusian Two-up, Two Down is the standard game of choice for the betting folk. Originating in King's Port, this card game is now played in betting halls throughout all Valusian states and has even garnered some attention in Kos. Each regional area has its own set of scoring rules, but the basic premise for the game remains the same: the player with the highest point total wins. A player's score is the cumulative point value of his dealt cards; two of which are lain face up with the other two face down. In an actual game of Two-up, Two Down players can ask the dealer for new cards, but in this simulation the face down cards are represented by a covered Gambling roll (no aces). After all participants have anted-up, the two cards are dealt and the covered roll is made. Next, betting begins much as in would in poker and continues until there are no more raises. Once the bet is settled, the points are tallied by adding the value of the two face-up cards with the Gambling roll. The player with the most points wins the pot. In the event of an equal score, the player with the most tie-break cards wins. If the tie-break cards cannot determine a winner, the player with the higher gambling score wins. Healing As per the rules, the application of Healing requires bandages and clean water. In the absence of either, the healer suffers a -2 penalty to the roll. Though the tearing of clothes may provide sufficient bandages in a pinch, long-term care or particularly clumsy groups may want to invest in readily available bandages. A roll of ten (10) may be purchased at an outfitter for 5 suns. In addition, some herbalists or outfitters may sell Healer's Pouches that come with bandages, salves, and leeches that can provide a +2 bonus to Healing rolls. A Healer's Pouch does not come cheap, but 100 suns for ten (10) applications may literally be the difference between life and death. Lockpicking As an alteration to the Evernight rules on lockpicking, generally a decent lock cannot be picked without lockpicks at all. A sufficiently strong and thin device may be rigged to perform as a lockpicking set, but the use of such would incur a -2 penalty. Furthermore, lockpicking sets do suffer from wear and tear. After ten failure, a lockpicking set is rendered useless. In addition, a critical failure using a lockpicking set immediately renders the set useless. Repair Repair will be used for jury-rigged fixes only, and only if appropriate materials are available. Only professionals can truly fix a damaged item. New Edges Cavalier Requirements: Novice, Agility d8+ Cavaliers are exemplary horsemen who feel more comfortable holding the reigns than on their own two feet. Cavaliers add +2 to Riding rolls. In addition, they may also spend Bennies to make Soak rolls for their mount. This is a Riding roll at –2 (cancelling their usual +2). Each success and raise negates a wound and any critical hit that would have resulted from it. Dual Arcane Training Requirements: Novice, Arcane Background (Alchemy, Miracles, Rituals, Spellcasting, Spellweaving, Sorcery), Arcane Skills d6+ The character has access to a second type of Arcane Background from those listed in the requirements. For instance, if he has AB (Magic), he can choose Miracles or Psionics as his secondary choice. He gains one power of the new type and activates it using the normal rules for that type of arcane power, but at a -1 penalty. He uses the same pool of Power Points (using one type of arcane power drains the ability to use the other equally), but powers for the secondary type cost +1 PP to activate as well. Henceforth, when he takes the New Power Edge, he may choose to take a power from either arcane type, but must note which arcane activation applies. Dual Arcane Mastery Requirements: Veteran, Dual Arcane Training, Arcane Skills d10+ Powers for the secondary arcane type ignore the -1 penalty and no longer cost +1 PP to activate. Rule Modifications Bleeding Out The injured character must make a Vigor roll at the start of each round after the one in which he was injured and before Action Cards are dealt: *'Failure:' The victim must roll again next round, or every minute thereafter if not in combat. *'Success:' The victim stabilizes and no further rolls are required. *'Total of 1 or Less:' The character dies from blood loss. For nonlethal damage, he’s rendered unconscious for 1d6 hours. Other characters may stop a victim’s bleeding by making a Healing roll. If successful, the victim stabilizes immediately and no further rolls are required. This use of the Healing skill just stops the bleeding. See page 78 for the use of the Healing skill to recover actual wounds. Fright Table Messenger Hawks Modified from the Game of Thrones wiki Messenger Hawks are a far cleverer breed of Hawk used specifically for the delivery of written messages. They are used essentially the way carrier pigeons were in real-life. Most Messenger Hawks can only be trained to fly back to a specific location when they are released. They usually have to be transported back to their point of origin by land. A small handful can learn to travel between two different locations, and these birds are greatly prized. Only very rarely do Messenger Hawks occur who are so intelligent that they can be trained to fly to four or even five predetermined locations. Each spy variant begins with one basic level Messenger Hawk.